Wilting Cherry Blossoms
by CloudyReflections
Summary: Over the years, people have accused Naruto of being, well... not bright.


Over the years, people have accused Naruto of being, well… not bright. Sure, it took him a while to understand things of an intellectual sort. What they didn't realize, in their blind prejudice to the kyuubi, was that he understood things of a different sort quite well. Maybe it was the normal ability most animals had to sense people's feeling, showing his more demon-like side. (a/n- okay, that contradictory… understanding demon is kind of an oxymoron. Oh well.)

So when Sakura showed up at his doorstep that night, her clothes rain-soaked and the tears streaming down her face as furiously as the drops from the clouds above, he realized it wasn't like the other times.

Sakura wouldn't force him into watching chic-flicks, eating large quantities of ice cream, and giving each other manicures. (He was proud to say that he'd gotten quite good at painting little flowers on her nails.) Ino wouldn't show up half-way through the movie to cheer her up, the way only another girl can. (Of course, Naruto would be interested in the movie by then, and finish after they left.) And most definitely, Sakura wouldn't be heading back to her apartment to make up with him.

Naruto hated the way that bastard treated her, thinking she'd come back every time. He secretly hoped Sakura would give up on him so that he'd be miserable and alone. No, it wasn't a secret, actually. Naruto proclaimed his hate for the man when he got up in the morning, when he went to bed, and in his dreams where he tortured and killed him.

On the other hand, it was also no secret that he had followed Sakura around, asking her out, and making a fool of himself to impress her until the very day she moved in with that bastard. Of course, now that he was (somewhat) more mature, his feelings were subtler, and in fact some would claim he no longer had a crush on her at all.

Naruto welcomed his best friend in with an understanding gaze, following behind her as she wilted onto the couch. It was true, in her soft pink sun dress that was now ruined she looked like a dying cherry blossom. He just glad the namesake didn't only fit when she was this sorrowful. But seeing her grieving like this, he could barely remember a time when she wasn't consumed by depression.

They sat in silence for a while, Naruto watching Sakura, and Sakura watching the rain fall down the window. "C-can I cr-crash h-he-here for a while?" she finally said, her tears making her stutter.

He nodded without even thinking about it. Seeing this girl shivering on his couch, he would've said yes if he'd just met her today.

"Want me to make some tea?" Naruto asked, trying to discern a nod from her shivers. In response, she lowered her head to stare at the floor. Taking that as a positive answer, he got up from his chair to prepare drinks. "You can borrow some clothes." He said softly as she started to shudder violently in the cold.

He didn't move to make the tea until Sakura had gotten up and walked like a zombie over to the door on the side of the room. The blonde couldn't help but worry for his best friend, who he'd never seen her so hopeless.

When she cam out in a baggy pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, he handed Sakura a steaming cup of tea. She sipped it slowly, collapsing on the sofa once again.

A patch of bruises on her upper-arm came into view, making Naruto's eyes grow wide. He rushed over, setting her tea down and clutched her arm. "What the heck happened, Sakura?!" He knew the answer, but he didn't want to believe it.

So when she lied, he knew immediately. "Oh, that… I fell on the way here. Haven't gotten around to healing it…" she said in a soft, spacey voice.

"N-no! I've seen those bruises before… and…" He lifted the edge of her t-shirt lightly. The small bit of skin he could see was a purple-blue colour. "Was… did… did that teme do this?!"

"What? Why…" Sakura choked out a sob, her tears starting again. Naruto wrapped his arms around her. "Y-yeah…"

He cried along with his best friend, rubbing her back comfortingly until the girl fell asleep. He got up, letting her fall gently on her side. The phone on the wall rang, but didn't wake her.

Before it could, Naruto rushed over to pick it up. He said quietly, "Hello?"

"Naruto, is Sakura over there? Sasuke came looking for her over here. I think he was drunk…"

"Yeah, Ino, she's pretty bad this time. Did you know what he did to her?"

She whispered, "I had some idea, but I didn't… how bad is it?"

"She's covered in bruises."

"Shit! I wish that bastard would still here, I'd cover _him _in bruises." Ino swore.

Naruto nodded, even though the girl on the phone couldn't see him. "Any idea where he's headed?"

"Probably over there, but I told him to stay the hell away from you."

"He'd ignore you, he's not scared of me. But he should be, now that I know."

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't get arrested." She finished, hanging up. Naruto sighed, glancing at the girl sleeping on his couch. The adrenaline pumping in his head blocked out all reason, Ino's warning, common sense, everything. His eyes grew red as the fox slowly took over.

The clumsy knocking on the door was barely heard by the blonde, as he walked over to it, kunai in hand.

That wasn't how I was going to end it, but I felt it had to be done. Several things: No, I'm not a Sasusaku shipper, I'm a Sasunaru shipper, but my yaoi fics are stuck right now, so this felt good to write. Also, I'm not Sasuke bashing when I write this story. I love him, but he's a bastard. That is all, farewell!

Xx gaara the panda xX


End file.
